System and method for detecting media and transport degradation during multichannel recording

Abstract

A method and system for determining degradation of a tape drive and tape includes generating a count signal indicative of the number of data blocks read from tape having more than a predetermined threshold of data bytes in error. A degradation signal indicative of tape drive and tape degradation is generated if the ratio of corrected blocks versus the total number of blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. The degradation signal is indicative of tape drive degradation if the ratio of blocks having more than a predetermined number of error data bytes along a single track versus total number of blocks is above a predetermined ratio, and is indicative of tape degradation if the ratio of blocks having more than a predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus total number of blocks read is above a predetermined ratio.

1. In a multichannel tape drive for reading data from a tape, wherein the data is recorded on the tape in a plurality of data blocks, each data block having a plurality of tracks and each track having the same number of data bytes, a method for determining degradation of the tape drive and the tape, the method comprising:
 reading data blocks on the tape; 
 determining if more than a predetermined threshold of data bytes are in error for each data block; 
 generating an error data block count signal indicative of the number of data blocks having more than the predetermined threshold of data bytes being in error; 
 determining if more than a predetermined number of data bytes along a single track are in error for each data block; and 
 generating a tape drive degradation signal indicative of the tape drive being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining if more than a predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte are in error for each data block; and 
 generating a tape degradation signal indicative of the tape being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 generating a degradation signal indicative of the tape drive and the tape being degraded if the ratio of the sum of the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error and the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     4. In a multichannel tape drive for reading data from a tape, wherein the data is recorded on the tape in a plurality of data blocks, each data block having a plurality of tracks and each track having the same number of data bytes, a method for determining degradation of the tape drive and the tape, the method comprising:
 reading data blocks on the tape; 
 determining if more than a predetermined threshold of data bytes are in error for each data block; 
 labeling each data block having more than the predetermined threshold of data bytes being in error as a corrected data block; 
 determining ratio of corrected data blocks versus total number of data blocks read from the tape; 
 generating a degradation signal indicative of degradation if the ratio of corrected data blocks versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio; 
 determining if more than a predetermined number of data bytes along a single track are in error for each data block; and 
 generating a tape drive degradation signal indicative of the tape drive being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 generating a corrected data block signal indicative of the number of corrected data blocks. 
 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 determining if more than a predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte are in error for each data block; and 
 generating a tape degradation signal indicative of the tape being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 generating a degradation signal indicative of the tape drive and the tape being degraded if the ratio of the sum of the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error and the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     8. A data processing system for determining tape and tape drive degradation, the system comprising:
 a multichannel tape drive for reading data blocks from a tape, each data block having a plurality of tracks and each track having the same number of data bytes; and 
 a tape drive controller for determining if more than a predetermined threshold of data bytes are in error for each data block, wherein the tape drive controller generates an error data block count signal indicative of the number of data blocks having more than the predetermined threshold of data bytes being in error; 
 wherein the tape drive controller determines if more than a predetermined number of data bytes along a single track are in error for each data block, wherein the tape drive controller generates a degradation signal indicative of the tape drive being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     9. The system of  claim 8  wherein:
 the tape drive controller determines if more than a predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte are in error for each data block, wherein the tape drive controller generates a degradation signal indicative of the tape being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     10. The system of  claim 9  wherein:
 the tape drive controller generates a degradation signal indicative of the tape drive and the tape being degraded if the ratio of the sum of the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error and the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     11. In a multichannel tape drive for reading data from a tape, wherein the data is recorded on the tape in a plurality of data blocks, each data block having a plurality of tracks and each track having the same number of data bytes, a method for determining degradation of the tape drive and the tape, the method comprising:
 reading data blocks on the tape; 
 determining if more than a predetermined threshold of data bytes are in error for each data block; 
 generating an error data block count signal indicative of the number of data blocks having more than the predetermined threshold of data bytes being in error; 
 determining if more than a predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte are in error for each data block; and 
 generating a tape degradation signal indicative of the tape being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 determining if more than a predetermined number of data bytes along a single track are in error for each data block; and 
 generating a tape drive degradation signal indicative of the tape drive being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 generating a degradation signal indicative of the tape drive and the tape being degraded if the ratio of the sum of the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error and the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     14. In a multichannel tape drive for reading data from a tape, wherein the data is recorded on the tape in a plurality of data blocks, each data block having a plurality of tracks and each track having the same number of data bytes, a method for determining degradation of the tape drive and the tape, the method comprising:
 reading data blocks on the tape; 
 determining if more than a predetermined threshold of data bytes are in error for each data block; 
 labeling each data block having more than the predetermined threshold of data bytes being in error as a corrected data block; 
 determining ratio of corrected data blocks versus total number of data blocks read from the tape; 
 generating a degradation signal indicative of degradation if the ratio of corrected data blocks versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio; 
 determining if more than a predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte are in error for each data block; and 
 generating a tape degradation signal indicative of the tape being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 generating a corrected data block signal indicative of the number of corrected data blocks. 
 
   
   
     16. The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 determining if more than a predetermined number of data bytes along a single track are in error for each data block; and 
 generating a tape drive degradation signal indicative of the tape drive being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 generating a degradation signal indicative of the tape drive and the tape being degraded if the ratio of the sum of the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error and the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     18. A data processing system for determining tape and tape drive degradation, the system comprising:
 a multichannel tape drive for reading data blocks from a tape, each data block having a plurality of tracks and each track having the same number of data bytes; and 
 a tape drive controller for determining if more than a predetermined threshold of data bytes are in error for each data block, wherein the tape drive controller generates an error data block count signal indicative of the number of data blocks having more than the predetermined threshold of data bytes being in error; 
 wherein the tape drive controller determines if more than a predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte are in error for each data block, wherein the tape drive controller generates a degradation signal indicative of the tape being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     19. The system of  claim 18  wherein:
 the tape drive controller determines if more than a predetermined number of data bytes along a single track are in error for each data block, wherein the tape drive controller generates a degradation signal indicative of the tape drive being degraded if the ratio of data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio. 
 
   
   
     20. The system of  claim 19  wherein:
 the tape drive controller generates a degradation signal indicative of the tape drive and the tape being degraded if the ratio of the sum of the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of data bytes along a single track being in error and the data blocks having more than the predetermined number of tracks for a given data byte being in error versus the total number of data blocks read from the tape is above a predetermined ratio.